One of the most often asked concerns among customers interested in credit card debt management is, “What is an unsecured credit card, and can it assist me?”
The most prevalent sort of credit card is an unsecured card; people who apply for a new credit card are, in reality, applying for unsecured credit the majority of the time.
A loan that is unprotected by collateral, such as a deposit that a lender or credit card provider can keep if you cannot pay, is called “unsecured.”
An unsecured credit card does not have a security deposit that the issuer can collect if you do not pay your credit card bill, and as an alternative, the creditor can pursue additional collection measures.
This may include reporting the unpaid sum to a credit bureau, submitting your account to a third-party debt collector, suing you in court, or requesting authorization to seize your earnings from the court.
Check Out: What is a Secured Credit Card And How Does It Work?
Unsecured Credit Cards: How It Works?
Since there is no security required for unsecured credit cards, the conditions of the debt are determined by the borrower’s credit rating, ability to pay, application information, and a variety of other variables.
Since the debt is unsecured, lenders are generally reluctant to provide this sort of debt.
In contrast to secured credit card debt, which is backed by collateral — such as a house or a car — that can help ensure that the lender can get part of their money back in the event of nonpayment, unsecured credit card debt has no such property and therefore cannot be recovered.
Check Also: What is Credit Card Charge? How To Spot And Report Fraudulent Charges
How to Become Eligible for an Unsecured Credit Card
If your bad credit prevents you from qualifying for an unsecured credit card, you may be able to improve your credit score by using a secured credit card.
Making at least the bare minimum payment on time and in full on your secured card each month will help you grow your credit, and you may be eligible to upgrade to an unsecured card if you continue to do so.
Users with secured cards may be able to “graduate” to a fully unsecured card and have their security deposit refunded in full in some cases.
Other times, you’ll need to apply for a new, unsecured credit card to continue using your existing card. If you’re seeking credit cards that can assist you in building credit, secured cards aren’t the only choice available to you, there are also unsecured credit cards with a faster approval process meant for persons with low or damaged credit histories.
See Also: What is the Difference Between a Charge Card And A Credit Card?
If you have a trusted family member or friend with a solid credit score, they can register you as an authorized user on their account. You can make purchases if you are an authorized user.
The principal account holder, on the other hand, is ultimately accountable for all payments.
Aside from that, depending on if the card issuer discloses authorized users to the credit bureaus, how appropriately the account is maintained could affect the authorized user’s credit.
Furthermore, there is typically no credit check or requirement to apply to become an authorized user of a credit card.
Read Also: How do Credit Card Companies Make Money? We have 5 Proven Ways
Who is Eligible to Apply for an Unsecured Credit Card?
The most often used credit cards are unsecured. To be eligible for the best-unsecured credit cards with the best perks or the lowest interest rates, you normally need to have decent to exceptional credit.
We consider credit scores of 690 or higher to be good credit by the majority of people.
« Do you have good credit?
Fair credit, sometimes known as “average” credit, is a credit rating that is one step below good credit. Fair credit scores are in the range of 630 to 689, with a median score of 630.
There are a lot of outstanding unsecured credit cards available for people with fair credit, including ones that offer rewards, don’t charge an annual fee, or do all of these things. Whilst with good credit it is from 689 and above.
« Do you have fair credit?
Is it possible to get an unsecured credit card if you have lousy credit (629 or lower)?
Yes, but it is normally not suggested because unsecured credit cards for individuals with bad credit tend to levy expensive fees for tiny credit lines, making them unsuitable for those with bad credit.
When it comes to unsecured credit cards, it’s not uncommon to see yearly costs of $99, plus monthly maintenance fees, along with application and processing fees – all to obtain a credit limit of $200.
During the course of a year or two, these fees can rapidly build up to more than the $200 or $300 minimum deposit they require you to make on a secured credit card.
And, unlike with a secured card deposit, they will not reimburse you for these fees.
« Do you have bad credit?
To wrap things up, for now, various credit card issuers have given unsecured cards to those who have no credit history at all – good or bad.
As an alternative to concentrating solely on credit scores and credit reports, these issuers can evaluate applications by considering factors such as earnings, occupation, bank balances, and even factors such as where an applicant attended university and what they studied.
Interest Rates on Unsecured Credit Cards
Customers that use credit cards make a guarantee to repay the money, and they also pay interest on the debt. Credit cards typically carry higher interest rates than vehicle loans or mortgages, in part since they consider credit card debt to be a bigger risk by financial institutions.
Also, while unsecured credit card APRs are risk-based and might vary across borrowers, those with stronger credit reports are less risky for banks to lend to, and as a result, these borrowers usually have lower APRs because terms of payment do not vary greatly.
Unsecured Credit Card Alternatives
Although unsecured credit cards are the most widespread sort of credit card, not everyone qualifies for one of these cards. If you have a limited credit history or are in the process of rebuilding your credit, you may want to explore a secured credit card as an alternative.
A secured credit card may allow you to borrow just a specific amount of money (beginning with as little as a few hundred dollars) that you have secured up front by placing a security deposit on your account.
It is possible to restore your credit over time, as you make on-time payments on your bills and prudently use your new secured credit card and other loans, you could eventually reach the point where you are prepared to “upgrade” to an unsecured credit card.
Unsecured vs Secured Credit Cards: What’s The Difference?
Secured credit cards, in contrast to unsecured credit cards, require you to deposit to secure the credit line that is being issued. You might think of it as a credit card that you finance.
If they widely viewed the applicant as a credit risk—that is, if they have no credit history or a poor credit score—a credit deposit is usually required (under 580).
If you fail to pay your credit card balance on time, your credit card issuer may keep the deposit you made to repay the debt you acquired on the card.
In rare situations, they may also require the cardholder to pay an annual charge besides the monthly price.
However, in compensation for the cost, these cards are less likely to offer benefit packages such as cash back or points toward transactions.
What Are The Upsides of an Unsecured Credit Card?
There are several reasons why people may prefer unsecured credit cards over secured credit cards, the most important of which are as follows:
- In the case of unsecured cards, there is no requirement for a down payment, which means you do not need to set aside any money to apply for a card.
- While it varies from card to card, unsecured cards can feature cheaper interest rates and greater benefits than secured cards, depending on the card.
- Additionally, the fact that unsecured cards can have bigger credit limits with no security deposit can provide you with greater financial flexibility in your daily life. By making it easier to maintain a low credit utilization rate, having a bigger credit limit can enhance your credit ratings as well.
- Even if you have a secured credit card, make sure that your credit card balances are only 30% of your entire credit limit—and that you’re only spending what you can afford to repay.
Drawbacks of Using an Unsecured Credit Card
Using Imaginary Money to Make Purchases
When you apply for an unsecured credit card, they often give you a credit limit, which can range anywhere from thousands of dollars to a few hundred dollars or less.
One thing to keep in mind while using your credit card to make purchases is that the money isn’t truly there, and you’re spending money that you might not have in your bank account.
If you overspend, you may find yourself in serious debt, particularly if you do not have the finances to pay off the entire balance at the end of the month.
Interest Adds Up
Rates of interest on credit cards are absurdly high when compared to interest rates on virtually every other financial product available on the market today.
If you have a 5 percent or lower interest rate on your mortgage, and if your savings account earns less than % in interest, you are in good shape.
However, depending on your credit history, the interest rate charged on your credit card could be as high as 10 percent or as low as zero percent. You should hunt for a new credit card that offers you the best-fixed interest rate possible and that you can always pay on time if you are in the market.
As per the Federal Reserve, under the Credit CARD Act, which was passed in 2009, your credit card firm is required to provide you with a cause for raising your interest rate and must re-evaluate that rate every six months.
Dings on Your Credit
It makes little difference whether you pay your bills on time in terms of your FICO credit score. Your credit score is important when applying for other loans, such as a mortgage, and it can also impact your ability to find work because many employers check your credit rating before hiring you.
They estimate that your payment history accounts for 35% of your credit score, which means if you use an unsecured card and miss repayments or pay a few days later, you could be causing serious damage to your credit.
Maintaining a debt on your credit card is another method of negatively impacting your credit rating. If you have a lot of debt, it will hurt your credit score.
Fees
Unsecured credit cards can come with a variety of costs, and while the CARD Act places certain restrictions on the fees that a credit card company can impose, you can still be charged a late payment fee, which can be as high as $35 if you don’t pay on time.
If you choose to enroll in an over-the-limit program, your credit card company may charge you a fee if you go over your credit limit more than once.
The annual fee on some credit cards is the amount that you must pay in exchange for the privilege of using that particular credit card once every year.
FAQs
It can help you build credit by teaching you how to use credit sensibly, and it’s a wonderful card to start with when you’re learning. Bad credit unsecured cards may come with hefty fees or interest rates, neither of which are ideal for credit rebuilding.
To qualify for most unsecured cards, you need good to exceptional credit (670-850). This is the range in which you will become eligible for a wide variety of different types of reward cards. Some cards can accept a score of 580-669.
Unsecured debt includes things like personal loans, and credit cards, to name a few examples.
If you’re paying extra on some loan, you can give unsecured bills priority. Unsecured debts carry higher interest rates and require longer paying back. Because interest accrues monthly, the total amount paid may increase.
Secured loan funding is usually easier to get. Secured loans have lower interest rates than unsecured loans since the lender is less risky. Lenders often need certain maintenance or insurance to keep the asset’s value.
Conclusion
There are many advantages to using unsecured credit cards. No security deposit is required, and they are generally superior consumer products in their own right.
However, if you are unable to qualify for one at this time, that is quite OK.
Unsecured credit cards and other credit-building instruments can assist you in building credit, and by actively taking advantage of these resources, you may be able to qualify for an unsecured card quicker than you expect.
References
- https://www.discover.com/credit-cards/resources/unsecured-credit-card/
- https://www.thebalance.com/what-is-an-unsecured-credit-card-and-how-can-you-get-one-960963
- https://www.capitalone.com/learn-grow/money-management/what-is-unsecured-credit-card/
- https://www.consumercredit.com/what-is-a-unsecured-credit-card/
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/credit-cards/what-is-unsecured-credit-card
